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ASSOCIATED PRESS Penn State head coach James Franklin, center, watches a punt return drill during Monday’s practice. The Nittany Lions begin the season Aug. 30 against Central Florida in Dublin, Ireland.

CHARLIE ROTH/STAFF PHOTO Penn State head coach James Franklin talks with the media during Monday’s annual media day at Beaver Stadium. Franklin and Nittany Lions began preseason camp Monday in preparation for their season opener Aug. 30 against Central Florida in Dublin, Ireland.

STATE COLLEGE

The smiling coach strutted to the chair in front of a room packed with reporters. Many had their computers out. Some still used notebooks and pens. None of them had ever seen a day like this, when even at Penn State, this represented a full room.

“How was everyone’s summer?” asked James Franklin, the new coach the reporters flooded the Beaver Stadium media room to hear speak before his first summer practice at Penn State.

A smattering of reporters muttered back. Good. Or, nice. Or, way too short. Others didn’t say anything. Didn’t even look up from the computers or the cell phones or the notebooks.

“I’m shocked at how many of you think this is an unusual way to start things,” Franklin shot back.

And so it began Monday.

Penn State hired James

Franklin a little more than six months ago, but this in all reality felt like Day 1. He has introduced himself and greeted the fans and recruited new players and helped rally alumni to donate plenty of money.

Finally Monday, he got to do what he’s paid to do — coach football — as summer practice opened for a Nittany Lions team 26 days away from its season opener in Dublin, Ireland.

An unusual way to start things? Sure was. Days like this have always been about business. So have Penn State coaches.

Joe Paterno and Bill O’Brien never seemed to particularly enjoy talking football with the press, so how their summer vacations went weren’t something given much consideration. It was a rousing start to the Era of Good Feelings at Penn State, for sure. Franklin raved about how much he enjoys airport meetings, balloons and birthday parties, about a year after his predecessor talked about the little use he has for things like amusement parks, beaches and his own birthday.

But here’s another fundamental difference between Paterno, O’Brien and their successor that needs to be discussed right now.

The first two have been unquestioned winners, game-changers, at Penn State.

Franklin has proven nothing.

There are plenty of mediocre coaches who can engage and recruit and raise funds. There are precious few who can be unqualified winners on the field too. Too many Penn State fans, frankly, are sitting back waiting for Franklin to be the next, assuming he’s going to take what O’Brien has built and expand on it almost immediately. In fact, he has more scholarships and a brighter future to build off. So why not count on bigger things?

It’s fair to do, and Franklin has all the tools to build a dynasty. But this is his first August. We know precious little about what this man is all about on the football field. This man knows precious little about what he has to use on that field, too.

“We’ve gotten a lot of work done in a short period of time,” Franklin said. “We’re excited to get going. There’s also a part of me that wishes we had another seven months. There’s always more you wish you could do. You wish you had more time.”

It’s really quite fascinating. Everybody gets so excited about the onset of football season and the hope of a big year and the promise of a young coaching staff that has a lot to prove.

But at the same time, it’s August.

Franklin’s views on his star quarterback, Christian Hackenberg, have been formed mostly by watching film. Charles Huff, the first special teams coordinator Penn State has had in at least a decade, said he has a great plan for what he wants to change in kick coverage units. He just doesn’t know exactly what players are going to step up to implement it.

Defensive coordinator Bob Shoop said Penn State can run a 4-3 formation on defense. Or a 4-2-5. It can use a traditional linebacker on most downs, or a hybrid linebacker-safety type of player on most downs, or a mixture of both. But he said he doesn’t know which he is leaning toward now, because he hasn’t seen the players enough to judge.

“The ultimate question as you enter any season,” offensive coordinator John Donovan said, “is, ‘Who are your playmakers?’ What guys are going to start for you and play for you? Who can you depend on to make plays? What are you going to be good at? What you think you are good at now might not be what you’re going to put your hat on once the season starts.

“The faster you figure that out, the better off you’re going to be. Hopefully, it will happen quickly for us.”

Players, to a man, say they’re excited to play for this staff. The staff says it is excited to get to better know the players.

The combination brings about a reality. Nobody knows much right now.

There’s a lot of hope at Penn State. Far more hope than guarantees.

(COLLINS covers

Penn State football for The Times-Tribune. Contact him at

dcollins@timesshamrock.com, follow him on Twitter @psubst, and read his blog at blogs.the

times-tribune.com/pennstate

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